Research

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"The brain is the organ of destiny.  It holds within its humming mechanism secrets that will determine the future of the human race."

Wilder Penfield (from The Second Career, 1963)

Collectively, diseases, disorders and injuries of the brain are the major health challenge of the 21st century. They most often create a lifelong burden of care, impacting the individual, their family and society.

There is an urgent need for Canada to marshal its resources, including our internationally recognized competitive advantage in the neurosciences, and develop a strategic, coordinated approach to understanding and improving brain health for the benefit of Canadians and the world.

The NHCC is advocating for an increased investment in neuroscience research, through a strategic, coordinated national approach, as a key pillar of a national brain strategy.

As a first step, the NHCC is co-leading Canada’s first-ever National Population Health Study of Neurological Conditions. Working in partnership with the federal health portfolio (Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research), the NHCC is working to address the paucity of information about the incidence, prevalence, risk factors, co-existing conditions, impact and services related to neurological conditions in Canada.